A Near Thing for Captain Najork

Tom is happy with his new Aunt Bundlejoy Cosysweet who is delighted to be asked to join him in his latest invention, a jam-powered frog. When the frog hops past Captain Najork’s window Tom does not expect to be chased by a pedal powered snake, complete with the Captain and his hired sportsmen, bent on revenge. As Tom, the Captain and Aunt Fidget Wonkham-Strong Najork all converge on a nearby girls’ boarding school, the tables are suddenly turned with the Captain finding himself in a very precarious situation. . .

Russell Hoban is an American who has lived in England for thirty-six years. He is the author of more than sixty books including such celebrated novels as Riddley Walker, Pilgerman and Turtle Diary. His two classic children’s books, How Tom Beat Captain Najork and A Near Thing for Captain Najork, were reissued by Godine in 2006. Hoban has an active fan club called The Kraken and has inspired symposiums based on his writing.

Quentin Blake is one of the UK’s living cultural treasures. He has written and illustrated dozens of books and provided pictures for hundreds more, including the children’s novels of Roald Dahl.